The St. Louis Blues entered Monday night’s matchup against the Pittsburgh Penguins aiming to demonstrate resilience after an embarrassing collapse against the Detroit Red Wings in their previous outing. Unfortunately, that test didn’t go as planned.
Trailing by a goal entering the third period, the Blues once again unraveled. It wasn’t exactly a carbon copy of the Detroit mishap, but it may have been worse in some aspects.
In that previous matchup, the Blues held a commanding 4–0 lead over the Red Wings before surrendering six unanswered goals — turning what looked like a certain victory into a stunning defeat. It was the epitome of letting your guard down in the ring and getting flattened by a perfectly timed punch — or in this case, a sharp quartet of shots that found nothing but the back of the net.
Another Meltdown
Unlike the previous game, the Blues played from behind. Bryan Rust and Anthony Mantha scored for the Penguins to give them an early 2-0 lead, and at one point, the Pens outshot the Blues 10-0 to start the frame. However, the Blues clawed their way back to tie the game with key scores from Nick Bjugstad and Jordan Kyrou.
The second period unfolded as a highly technical affair, marked by multiple shifts in momentum. While the Blues outshot the Penguins over the twenty minutes, it was Pittsburgh who found the scoreboard. Sidney Crosby orchestrated the decisive play, delivering a cross-ice feed to Parker Wotherspoon at the left circle, where he fired a top-shelf shot to give the Penguins a 3–2 lead on a delayed penalty.
Heading into the third period, a strong effort like the one displayed in the second—yet still falling short—is one scenario. But to falter completely in the final frame, or, as in this case, suffer an epic lapse in judgment that hands the momentum to the opposition, is an entirely different matter.
Pittsburgh’s top line came out with a head full of steam and executed a flawless sequence that culminated with Crosby going low-to-high, and Erik Karlsson making a sweet shot-pass that Rust deflected off his stick. For St. Louis, it was a defensive breakdown, but for the Penguins, it was Crosby’s 1,700th career point.
What The?
You can’t blame Mathieu Joseph for the collapse, surely. He was the lone bright spot of the final period when he jumped on a loose puck following a turnover and rushed in to beat Tristan Jarry short side to inch the Blues closer, but of course, it was all for naught.
Colton Parayko’s flashy maneuver at the blue line—a spinorama pass—backfired, inadvertently setting up Bryan Rust, who promptly found Crosby streaking down the ice for a breakaway goal.
Such lapses are inexcusable at this level, particularly from a player regarded as one of the team’s leaders. The Blues must prioritize simplifying their game. While the roster boasts talent—Jordan Kyrou, for instance, is poised for a breakout season and currently carries a seven-game point streak—offensive contributions alone cannot compensate when the team has dropped four consecutive games and allowed six or more goals in four of those defeats.
Just 20 seconds after the brain lapse, with momentum firmly in their favor, Evgeni Malkin capped the game with an empty-net goal, sealing a 6–3 victory for the Penguins.
If I were the general manager, I’d be front and center at the next practice, scrutinizing every player. Change needs to come swiftly.